Despite running one of the most successful, pioneering independent hip-hop webstores ever, we took some time off over the last seven years, closing up shop way back in 2007. The music industry changed, as digital downloads (legal or otherwise) overtook CD and vinyl formats, making it very hard to run a profitable business.

Through our original retail store, we helped build names for once unknown acts like Little Brother, Apathy, Cage, Alchemist, Dilated Peoples, Sage Francis, Swollen Members, and even hosted the official websites and online stores for each Eminem, Kool Keith, MF Doom, Demigodz, RJD2, and others. At one point, our Maryland Parkway location in Las Vegas was the largest hip-hop specialty store in the world, with two levels and four rooms of nothing but rap related goods.

Despite changes in the music industry, we’ve decided to enter back into retail once again. Although this time it will be a little different, as there are no CD’s or vinyl in our catalog. Instead, we’re starting with a series of 10 exclusive t-shirt designs, designed in house at our label, Hellafine Design. With your support, we will add more and more designs as time goes on, and eventually bring in other company’s designs as well. We also hope to deliver a series of exclusive premium items to our customers, much like we did back in the day with things like Preemptive Hype double discs or the Mr. Lif head-shaped picture disc vinyl. But for now, we’re starting with shirts, and with your support, we’ll get back there as well.

Speaking of premium items, we’re kicking off with our first exclusive bonus item freebie, a limited to 300 copies CD pressing of the very popular The Arrival Of Kendrick Lamar mix, which gained over 10,000 plays on Soundcloud. Tracked out and pressed on CD for the first time, each copy is hand-numbered, and is FREE with any order, while supplies last. We hope to bring you more and more, bigger and better items as time goes on.

Finally, our checkout process is easier than ever. On day one, we accept Paypal through the website, and credit card payments are processed through your AMAZON account, making shit mad convenient.

Thanks for your support over the last seven years as we’ve redefined our purpose, and we hope to redefine it once again here.